Regrets
by NowFlyAway
Summary: Hermione has been married for six years to her old Potions Master in more contract than a relationship. When he catches her cheating and give her an ultimatum of being publicly smeared or to teach with him at Hogwarts, will she regret what she chooses? AU


"Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I honestly ever wanted to be Mrs. Severus Snape? That stupid law was the most ridiculous thing the Ministry could think of!" Hermione screamed at her husband of six years, her fists balled. She watched her old professor walking quickly, with determined steps, bee lining past her to the wardrobe, grabbing her dresses and blouses, throwing them in the large trunk thrown across the bed. Her hair was very long, it stretched down more than half way down her back in thick waves. Her hair was neatly pinned to the side with a crystal pin, her dress was periwinkle with black lace accents. She had grown beautifully, and at the age of twenty seven, she looked much younger than her counterpart.

"I would like to think that you at least had some decency, some honor. Or is that too much to ask from a pathetic Gryffindor?" Snape said with an acidic tone, flicking his hair out of his face. Severus Snape looked almost the exact same as he did before he left Hogwarts. His long hooked nose carried a sneer even more than his usual, his cool black eyes cutting to Hermione ever few seconds, his anger fuming. It was quite rare that he got this angry, that he got angry at all. He wore black pants and a black shirt for his usual attire since moving away from the castle at the wish of his most wonderful wife.

"Again with the Houses? Really? You never leave school do you? And I'm a pathetic Gryffindor? Well, let me remind you that Lily was one too. And at least she had the common sense to never become involved with a Slytherin coward like you." Hermione didn't see the way his eyes cut toward her in warning when he'd heard her name. Nor did she see him come toward her and back hand her with so much force he knocked her across the queen size bed they rarely shared. Her small frame bounced against the mattress, his form quickly coming over her, gripping her arm forcefully.

"If you ever dare mention her name again, I will strangle you. Am I understood?" His voice cut straight through her thick curls to her ear, her face turned the opposite direction, tears stinging the corners of her eyes just as badly as where he had hit her. She kept silent, waiting for him to calm down. She knew she had hit him low, incredibly low and she already regretted saying it. She wouldn't tell him that, she couldn't. He eventually backed off, breathing deeply, and continued throwing both of their things in various trunks and suitcases.

"Where are we going?" Hermione said behind her teeth, as quietly as possible. "Why won't you let me divorce you so we can move on with our lives?" She quickly wiped her tears away before standing up again and facing him.

Snape looked at her face and sneered, taking a moment before talking. "Because at one point, my dear, I made you a promise." He picked up his pocket potion making kit and slammed it into the trunk, startling her. "And at another point, my love, I thought I loved you." He picked up a stack of Hermione's books, slamming them into her trunk before slamming it shut. "And at one point, dearest," he picked up her wedding ring from the vanity and eyed it, before cutting his eyes at her, "At one point you weren't a damn adultering whore!" He threw the ring at her feet, it skidding across the hard wood floor, past her and out the door. For a moment, Hermione saw so much emotion on his contorted face, so much hurt, but then he covered his face with his hands and once his hands moved away, his sneer had been replaced. "At one point you were worth something." He said in a defeated voice, kicking the suitcase at his foot closed. "But by all means, if you can get the pathetic excuse of a father and man to agree to leave his wife and children, to marry you, I will go quietly. I will buy your wedding cake. You can have your damn divorce."

Hermione's eyes lit up, forgeting his look of hurt, all of his pain at the prospect of leaving, "Really? Do you mean that?"

"Oh yes, my Hermione. But if he will not leave her, then you will accompany me back to Hogwarts to begin teaching. You will take over Arithmancy, and I will continue Potions." Snape said silkly, as if he was so sure. "And if you refuse to come, I will smear your face, your name, and everything attached to your reputation through the mud, and all you will be known as is a filthy whore. But yes, run to him. Tell him. I already have your bags packed."

Hermione lept across the room and grabbed her sweater before running toward the door but stopped when she heard Severus call her name softly. She turned to him and he said, "Marrying you was the biggest regret of my life." Hermione looked down and didn't say anything for a few seconds before running out the door to the man she loved and the man who loved her.

Hermione walked up the steps of the Ministry, taking them two at a time. She made her way quickly to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and found his office. The flame haired man was writing something down when Hermione knocked on his office door, he looked up and a surprised look came over his face. He waved her in and she opened the door and closed the blinds and the door magically all at the same time. Tears covered her face, which she hadn't even known she'd been crying. She wiped her face quickly as Ron came up to her holding her lightly by her upper arms. "What happened, Hermione? Are you okay?" he touched her cheek tenderly where it was red, "Did Snape hit you?"

"No, well yes, but no." Hermione gripped his arms, and looked at his face, "Listen to me. He knows, he knows about us. I don't know how but he's being all crazy and he's packed all of our things and is going to force me to go teach at Hogwarts and cut off all contact with everybody unless you and I marry." Ronald looked at her and released her arms. He turned and walked over to his desk, shuffling the papers that resided there. "Ronald, aren't you happy? I can divorce him and you can divorce Lavender and we can get married! Like we always planned. Isn't this wonderful, Ron?" She walked toward him and clasped his hand, which he yanked away from her before walking behind his desk and sitting down. "Ron, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I can't leave Lavender. I can't leave my son and daughter. It's Alice's first year at Hogwarts, and Lavender has been nothing but good to me." He kept straightening his papers, and tapping them straight on his desk.

"But, what was what we had?" Hermione said quietly.

"That? Well that was fun." he said nonchalantly, his face tingeing red on the apples of his cheeks.

"Fun?" Hermione screamed."That was fun?"

"Mione, keep your voice down." Ron flicked his wand around the office, sound proofing the room. "I'm sorry."

Hermione's hand flew to her neck self consciously, and almost like a secret she said, "You said you loved me, Ron."

"Yeah, I love you like a sister."

"A sister? Like a sister? You are fucking sick!" She screamed, "What the hell is wrong with you? What is this some sick payback for me not wanting to marry you back then?" Hermione sucked in a large gasp of air into a throat that was rapidly closing.

"No, it's not like that. I'm sorry, Hermione. I just can't leave Lavender." He pinched the bridge of his nose, willing a headache to keep away.

"Your daughter's starting this year? So lets see, I'm twenty seven, so that mean that you impregnanted Lavender...what? The DAY I said no? You know what, fuck you, Ron. Fuck you." Hermione stormed off toward the door before turning and saying, "I'll be teaching your daughter once she gets there."

An hour later she walked through the front doors just as Severus was trotting down the foyer stairs. All the furniture had been miniturized and he had started collecting it. He looked at her, smirking, "So, are we getting a divorce?" he did not miss a beat before saying, "Thought so. Just got the ok from McGonagall. You'll be teaching first through third years. We will be leaving in one hour. Say your goodbyes." His voice was short and direct, almost haughty and Hermione was half tempted to just divorce him anyway, just to get it over with. But she held herself, and slumped against the wall, seeing as all of their furniture was merely an inch high.


End file.
